Saturday, December 31, 2016

Last lifts of the year. Not sure what I'm doing program wise these days - I just seem to go lift what I want to lift. Probably because I feel so weak after not lifting most of December.

Need to get myself an interesting program in 2017. I think it's time to retire Stronglifts 5x5. I really have exhausted that program after using it for more than 15 months. If you've got any recommendations, leave a comment. It would preferably be a program backed by a nice little app that is just as nice as the SL5x5 app. :-)

Todays Lifts

Barbell Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

3x8x100kg

1x120kg

1x140kg

1x150kg

1x160kg

Not sure what to make of todays squats. I felt weak, and decided that todays work set would be 3x8x100kg. When finished with that I decided to go for a rep of 120. T.hat felt easy, so 140 .. 150. and 160 also went up. Turned out I wasn't as weak as I thought today.

Bench Press

20x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

6x100kg

2x5x100kg

10x80kg

12x80kg

I had hoped for more than 6 reps of 100kg. Didn't happen. The next two sets of 5 was really easy though. Then didn't feel like asking for another spotter, so went for some easy sets of 80kg.

Barbell Row

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Given how weak I've gotten with so little training in December, I decided to do the 3 big lifts all at the same day today. Yes, that means I'm silly enough to do Deadlift two days in a row; but what the heck.

Todays lifts

Barbell Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

3x100kg

1x120kg

1x140kg

1x150kg

1x160kg

Bench Press

20x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

1x110kg (error in loading)

0x120kg (overeager spotter)

Did two things wrong. First, I used big black rubber plates, and thought the second set was 20kg plates too. Turns out they were 25kg plates. So my 1x100kg was stupid heavy - and then I realized it was 1x110kg. For my 120kg attempt; my spotter got a bit eager and helped me before needed. I *think* I would've done it, but I didn't. So No Lift for that one.

Deadlift

5x50kg

5x80kg

3x100kg

3x120kg

1x140kg

1x160kg

0x190kg (failed lift)

1x190kg (yeah!)

I failed my first attempt at 190kg. I've never managed to do a max attempt at second try before, and wasn't going to try one today neither.. except a big friendly fellow came over and pointed out that my lifting technique was slightly flawed. My knees was above the bar. He suggested leaning back and pressing through the heels.

Now, I thought I did that, but he insisted I didn't, so I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.

It worked.

Thanks big friendly fellow!

Total

160kg+110kg+190kg = 460kg = 1014 lbs

Yes! I'm still in the 1000 lbs club! And this time I did all the lifts in one day!

So, my squats have been weirdly weak. I finally figured out why before going to the gym today. I used the Smith Machine to squat on Dec 8th, forcing my body to use a different bar path. I didn't return to using a proper bar path after just one session on that dreaded contraption. Todays focus was bar path.

Todays lifts

Barbell Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

3x100kg

5x5x120kg (yeah!)

1x140kg

That went as it should. Focused on proper technique, and the lifts were easy. Not super-easy, but they went up. Satisfied.

Todays lifts

Barbell Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

5x60kg

3x80kg

3x100kg

2x2x120kg

Again only 2x2 instead of 5x5.. and they were heavy. Something bad going on. You might be able to spot it in this video... Also - see the squatting in a smith machine setup .. and the tiny spotter bricks I use to rest the barbell on.

Overhead Press

5 days without lifting, as lifting with the Smith Machine wasn't overly motivating. I decided to give it another attempt. When I got into the weight room, I realized you could put the bar all the way at the top of the machine, and lift off the spotter bricks.

No spotter bars when doing this, and not entirely stable, but what the heck. A video was posted on Dec 19th, and will be in the Dec 19th post (This post is made on Dec 28th, backfilling December).

Barbell Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

5x60kg

3x80kg

3x100kg

2x2x120kg (This is weak, I get back to why in the Dec 28th post)

The weak squats are a combination of bad lifting technique and fear of not having spotter bars. More details in the Dec 27th post.

Barbell Row

My new workplace has a gym room. I love that they do have a gym. The bad part is that the gym consists of a smith machine, and dumbbells. So, I decide to try the smith machine..

Todays lifts

Smith machine squats

5x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

3x100kg

3x110kg (getting very heavy)

0x120kg

A really bad thing is that the Smith machine is not bolted down, and when attempting 120kg the entire machine just moved along the floor. I had no chance of raising the barbell given that the entire contraption just moved. Good spotter bricks.

The other bad thing is that the bar path sucked. This was quads only. No involvement of hamstrings, glutes or my back.

Deadlifts

There's a free barbell, but no rack to use properly. However..

5x60kg

4x80kg

3x100kg

3x120kg

5x135kg

1x135kg

My glutes were exhausted after the Smith Machine, and 135kg is using all the weights in the weight room. At least I got to deadlift some.

So, we've flown to Norway. I'm at Gjøvik Elitegym for a day, before moving to Oslo. I love that Gym.

Todays lifts

Barbell Squat

5x20kg

5x40kg

3x60kg

3x80kg

3x100kg

1x120kg

3x3x150kg

Sled Push, low bar one way, high bar the other. 10.5m "track"

1x80kg

4x2x100kg

1x100kg

1x100kg

The Sled Push is a prowler-style device you can load plates on. One way, you push on a little handle that is maybe 20cm above the floor. The other way you push on top of the bars you put weights on, thus a high bar. This exercise is extreme cardio and conditionining. Great fun.